Item: Shakyamuni Buddha - Avadana (teaching stories)

Avadana Painting #16 containing stories 72-80. From a set of 22 tangkas and 108 stories.

(72) Upagupta's Conquest of Mara, top left, a story of cause and effect, a prostitute and the daemon Mara.
(73) A letter to the Nagas, a story about King Ashoka, nagas and the Three Jewels.
(74) Ashoka Offers the Earth, an offering made as a promissory note.
(75) The Teaching of Pratityasamutpada, enumerating the sequence and 12 links of co-dependent origination.
(76) The Sea Monster Vidura, the results of past and future actions.
(77) The Conversion of Kaineyaka, the Buddha gives a teaching to the Four Direction Kings.
(78) The Fall of Shakra, the god Shakra seeks refuge in the Buddha.
(79) Mahendrasena's Burden of Wealth, a story about generosity and giving.
(80) Subhadra, the Buddha's last Disciple, a story of the meeting and previous life relationship of the two.

The Avadana paintings were conceived and sponsored by Situ Panchen Chokyi Jungne (1700-1774). From the first set of paintings numerous copies were later made.

[Story names from Leaves of the Heaven Tree, the Great Compassion of the Buddha by Padma Chophel, 19th century. (Based on the Bodhisattvavadanakalpata of Kshemendra, 11th century). Translated by Deborah Black. Berkeley: Dharma Publishing, 1997.]

Jeff Watt 4-2000